What is the BEST CURRENCY to Take to EGYPT?

How Much Egyptian Currency To Bring to Egypt?

None!  I am constantly surprised to see bloggers advising readers to bring Egyptian currency to Egypt simply because it is the local currency.  Do not change any money to Egyptian currency in your own country.

THERE IS A HEAVY PENALTY FOR BRINGING IN MORE THAN 5,000 Egyptian Pounds to Egypt.

When you realise that 5000LE = only US$98 or €86 you can see how easy it would be to fall foul of this restriction regarding Egyptian money.

How Much Foreign Currency Can I Bring Into Egypt?

You can bring in as much foreign currency – US dollars, Euro, British Pounds etc. as you like.  However, you are required by law to declare anything in excess of US$10,000 in value.  You also need to keep the customs receipts and any paperwork associated with the declaration.  You may be asked to account for how you spent that money on leaving the country.

How Much Gold Can I Bring To and Take out of Egypt?

This is a question nobody asks but it is a very important one you should know the answer to.  The $10,000 cash value limit referred to in the previous section now also includes gold value.  So, the total value per person of gold, foreign cash and cheques being brought into the country must be declared on arrival if it exceeds $US10,000 when all added together.

When leaving Egypt you can take up to 50gms of gold for personal use – but you can only take more than 50gms if you declared it on arrival and customs may check your arrival declaration to verify it.  If you want to buy gold jewelry in Egypt, leave your own heavier and expensive pieces at home – or else bring the receipts you got when buying it to prove you did not buy it in Egypt.  Another way to prove you did not buy it in Egypt is to have old photos of yourself wearing it but those photos need to have date tags on them.

Top Ten Tips on Saving Money in Egypt

1. You will get a better exchange rate inside Egypt than at home AND no exchange fees.
2. Bring a good backup of your own currency if it is US dollars, Euro, British Pounds, Australian Dollars because changing it is easy and costs nothing.
3. You must have US$, Euro, British Pounds or AUD (these are the main ones) if you are getting your entry visa on arrival at the airports.  The entry visa is now $US30.  The easiest thing to do is pay for your entry visa with $100 or €100 and your change will be in Egyptian pounds, enough to see you through the first few hours for tips, snacks, taxi etc.  Then tell your guide that first thing you need to do at some stage during the day is stop at a good exchange shop to convert your own currency to Egyptian pounds.
4. Bring new $100 bills as opposed to old or damaged ones.
5. Don’t bring coins – get rid of them by stocking up on snacks that won’t melt in the heat, books etc. at your home airport to lighten your pocket load.
6. Change ONLY a little ($50) at the airport bank in the arrivals hall if you feel you must.  After that use an exchange shop, ATM or bank to withdraw Egyptian pounds. Remember, cash is king in Egypt.
7. Pay for your hotel and tours in the currency you were quoted in.
8. Pay with card for high cost items only.
9. Exchange money every few days to avoid having excess Egyptian pounds at the end of your stay.
10. ATMs will give you back-to-back withdrawals so don’t worry about not being able to withdraw enough – but do make sure your card company or bank know you are going to Egypt and what your card’s daily limit will be.  Change your daily withdrawal limit before leaving home if necessary.  If you don’t notify your bank or card provider you could find your card is flagged and refused in Egypt.  Then you will waste time and energy trying to call and have it freed from inside Egypt.

The Reasons Behind My Top 10 Tips

Using Dollars, Euros, Sterling

Hotels and big shops accept USD, EUR, GBP, AUD.  But for taxis, water, and market stalls Egyptian pounds is best for you so you don’t get caught on the exchange rate.

NOTE: There are two types of US dollar notes which will not be accepted in hotels, exchange shops and even banks:

• older bills with specific dates (too many to list here) so make sure you bring NEW notes
• damaged notes – “damage” includes even the slightest tear or pen mark.  This applies to all foreign currency not just the US dollar bills.  Recently I went to the CIB bank in Luxor to make a lodgment and came back out with €255 in €20 and €5 notes that were unacceptable and $170 in US notes that I thought were perfectly fine but the bank teller did not!

Calculate before leaving home how much you are going to need for tipping in Egypt.  Tipping the guides and drivers in your own currency is best simply because of the amount of notes involved if tipping in Egyptian currency.  $US100 = 5.055 Egyptian pounds.

How to Get the Best Rate

• Exchange shops – they are EVERYWHERE and 20 times faster than going and waiting inside any bank.  Be aware you MUST have your passport with you, they will copy it and you will be asked to sign for it.  The most efficient one in Luxor is on Mabad El Karnak St., directly across the road from the car park outside the entrance to Luxor Temple.
• ATMs – withdrawal limits at various ATMs are THEORETICALLY between 2,000 and 8,000 Egyptian pounds per transaction. However the reality is 4,000 Egyptian which is equal to US$79 or €69, but remember:
  • You can make back-to-back withdrawals, consecutive withdrawals, up to the limit your home bank allows at international banks such as CIB.  But Egyptian banks such as Banque Misr have max limit of 30,000 per day.  In Luxor you will find the CIB, QNB near the big chain hotels in Cornishe El Nil St. and you may be able to withdraw up to 8,000 per transaction there – not always.
  • Not all ATMs have the same limits.  The ones built into bank walls have higher limits than those in or outside hotels because they are easier to keep fully stocked.  A very few inside hotels will give you US dollar withdrawals but this is not the norm.
  • If your card fails first time do not keep trying unless you are using one attached to a bank wall or inside a bank entrance door.  Go away and try another ATM or wait til later.  You don’t want the machine to keep your card.  Even if using one on a bank wall, you may have to wait until the following day to get it back.  Hotel staff cannot access the ATMs.
  • Don’t leave ATM runs until the morning – they can run out of cash, and you don’t want to be using foreign currency for small transactions during the day.
  • The months of Dec/Jan (especially Christmas week) and April/May (especially Easter week) are 4 months when ATMs typically run out of money as these are our high seasons.
• Airport banks – don’t change much here, maybe $50, because their rate can be slightly less favourable than exchange shop rates, and exchange shops are everywhere.
• Visa, Mastercard: widely accepted in hotels and restaurants, rarely in small shops.  Don’t use your card in any shop presenting you with an old-fashioned card-copying machine, and don’t hand your card to anyone to process in a back room or behind a counter.  Always have a cash backup.  If you’ve already agreed a good price, be polite when switching to cash – just say you remembered you have it.
• Revolut & Wise – work in some ATMs but not all.  The most modern machines are more likely to accept them than the older models.
• AmEx: limited use.
• Contactless (Apple Pay, Google Pay): only accepted in a few larger establishments.
• Card Fees: Traders and shops usually add fees for cards – expect around 3% to 5% more.  So, unless paying for really expensive items don’t use your card for payment.  Use it for withdrawals in local currency.
  • Be careful if the ATM asks you to choose between being charged in your home currency or the local currency.  Choose the local currency option because it is cheaper.

Paying for Accommodation

By law, hotels and tour operators in Egypt must be paid in foreign currency – so don’t expect to settle your bill in Egyptian pounds.

Pay in the currency you were quoted in.  This sounds simple, but it’s a common trap.  If a hotel quotes you in US dollars but you’re travelling from a euro-zone country, pin down both the quote currency and the payment currency before you commit.  Leaving the conversion to the hotel receptionist on arrival almost always means an unfavourable rate.  With the euro and dollar fluctuating as sharply as they have in 2026, the difference can be significant – sometimes within the same week.

Check whether your hotel is cash-only.  Some smaller hotels and guesthouses won’t accept cards at all, so it’s worth asking before you arrive.

A note on how we handle it at Mara House: We quote in euros, but we accept payment in your home currency using the mid-market rate from XE Currency Converter on the day you pay.  It’s the fairest way we know to do it.  Very few hotels work this way though – if you’re paying cash elsewhere, ask upfront how they calculate their exchange rate.  If they’re vague, assume it favours them, not you.  Remember that if a hotel owner or at least manager is not on hand when you arrive, the staff will have no discrepancy to change the hotel rules so there is no point getting angry at them.

Knowing which currency to bring is only part of planning your budget.  Even more important is being aware of where the hidden costs come in and how much money you will really need while in Egypt.  If you know where extra money will be required, you can avoid the frustration and anger by being prepared for it, or better still, avoiding it.

Small Change is Gold Dust

You’ll constantly need small notes (1, 5, 10, 20, 50 LE) for taxis, tips, and snacks.  Hotels and banks rarely have them.

TIP: Ask small vendors (fruit sellers, bakers, juice stalls – these are not trying to make extra money from tourists and are happy to oblige) to break your notes, as it also lightens their cash drawer.

Coins

Don’t bring foreign coins.  Banks won’t take them.  If locals show you foreign coins, they are not begging – they’re asking you to swap them for Egyptian notes because they can’t use them.  But the 1 LE coin looks a lot like the 1 Euro coin – if you decide to help and change their coins, check the coins carefully.

Egyptian coins – especially the 1 LE coins – accumulate fast.  We all tend to empty our pockets at the end of the day and they pile up on the table.  Remember to spend your Egyptian coins in the days before you leave or leave them on your bedside table for the cleaning staff.  There is no point taking them as far as the airport.

Use Card Only for Certain High-Cost Purchases

Here’s a currency tip almost nobody tells you: don’t assume that paying by card is best for everything expensive.  But there is one time it is definitely worth it – when paying for items where you might feel a bit unsure, like high-end gold and silver jewelry.

Egyptian jewelry is stunning – but unless you’re carrying a jeweler’s magnifying glass, know the daily market price of gold and silver, and can weigh pieces precisely, there’s no way to be certain you’re not overpaying.  The gold shops are usually extremely busy, especially those in the areas frequented by the locals so you need to be well prepared and keep your wits about you.

Why would the locals be mobbing the gold shops?  Because that is the preferred way of saving.  They buy when they have cash to spare and sell when they need cash.  That was how it was done before banks arrived and that is still the prevalent method of saving today.  Also when a couple get engaged and married the groom must give gold to the bride.  Most gold here in Egypt is 20–22 carat and often not hallmarked or has marks you won’t understand.  If buying gold it is a really good idea to take someone you can actually trust with you.  Prices should be calculated on the metal’s weight, daily value, and the craftsmanship involved.  That is how it is calculated for Egyptian customers.

A personal story: several years ago, I bought some plain gold bangles in Egypt.  The lack of hallmarks worried me.  Several local jewelers at home doubted they were real gold, which really made me anxious!  I set them aside and tried not to think about it – until a trip to Dublin gave me the chance to check.  At the Assay Office, I was relieved to learn they were indeed 22-carat gold. They even advised me to have them hallmarked myself – which I did.

I was lucky.  But imagine buying a beautiful piece that breaks, gets damaged, or turns out to be lower quality than expected – or worse, only gold-plated!  Paying by card gives you a safety net.  At least there’s a possibility of some chance for redress.

If buying gold in Egypt be sure to keep the stamped receipt from the shop where you bought it – not just a piece of scribbled paper.  It should show the name of the shop, the description of the item, the weight and the amount you paid.  It may be in arabic and if so, make sure a trusted person verify what it says.  You might try scanning it into google translate or Claude AI for a translation before you leave the shop.  However, for these apps to work you need the writing to be clear.  You can tell the shop you need a good receipt for customs inspection at the airport.

Practical Takeaway

Bring a mix of: foreign cash (USD/EUR/GBP/AUD), Egyptian pounds (get them here), and one solid Visa/Mastercard. That’s your safest bet.